The CommunityShare Initiative aims to ignite civic engagement and a passion for learning by leveraging the collective wisdom and lived experiences of educators, students, and communities. Access to community resources and connections is essential for the success of our youth, their families, and the educators who support them. However, educators and youth in Cochise County face significant barriers to accessing these crucial resources. CommunityShare has developed an innovative, research-based model with two key components: a digital platform and capacity-building services.

The digital platform acts as a human library, matching PK-12 educators with community partners such as families, STEM professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. Educators can post projects, and the platform automatically finds community partners whose real-world experiences match the project requests. Educators can then message and schedule directly with the partners. Community partners serve as project collaborators, mentors, and internship hosts. They can also post workshops, training opportunities, and community programs on the platform, which educators can search for and connect to their students. This platform is the connective tissue across learning spaces within regional, place-based learning ecosystems. Education faces an engagement crisis. While 74% of 5th graders show active engagement, this figure plummets to just 34% by the time students reach 12th grade. Additionally, 81% of high school dropouts report that relevant, real-world learning experiences would have kept them in school. Extensive research shows that expanding real-world learning experiences and increasing student connections to caring adults are among the most effective methods of boosting student engagement and academic achievement. Real-world, project-based learning challenges the confines of traditional education by integrating critical thinking, collaboration, and practical skill application across many subject areas. The CommunityShare Initiative aims to address this crisis by preparing students for academic success in high school and laying the foundation for 21st-century skills and mindsets necessary for future success.

The Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office (CochisESA) will partner with CommunityShare to support innovation, student achievement, and motivation.

This partnership will be accomplished through:

1) Digital Platform/Human Library: This platform will allow CochisESA to invite community members and organizations to create profiles and describe the skills and experiences they can share with teachers and students. Teachers across the county can post projects and events, finding partners who can serve as mentors, speakers, field trip hosts, internship hosts, and more.

2) Digital Data Dashboard: This dashboard will enable CochisESA to track all connections between teachers and partners and their impact on students' and teachers' real-world learning experiences.

3) Teacher Professional Development: Providing educators with the training and resources to integrate real-world learning experiences into their teaching effectively.

4) Staff Capacity Building and Coaching: Supporting staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to foster and sustain innovative educational practices.

Any teacher in Cochise County will have the opportunity to join the CommunityShare Fellowship Program. This fellowship provides a five-month intensive professional development program, enabling teachers to design real-world learning projects with students and community partners. CommunityShare will also offer ongoing coaching and capacity building to CochisESA staff, training them to effectively support and engage community partners and teachers.

The CommunityShare Initiative will result in students across Cochise County having project-based, real-world learning experiences with community partners, impacting students in numerous ways. This support will benefit Cochise County teachers and the next generation of workers, community builders, and leaders. It will help community members feel more connected to county schools and each other. Students will improve academically and expand their access to caring adults who can positively impact their lives. The CommunityShare platform was formally presented to the educational community, which included businesses, educational staff, teachers, and Superintendents, at the annual Superintendent’s Roundtable. It was met with a highly positive reception.

Purchase of the CommunityShare Platform, training for County Superintendent outreach and liaison staff, and working with CommunityShare to develop an implementation plan.